AC-Delco Oil Filter change?

[Rick Norwood]

I recently bought a new AC-Delco PF-52 Oil filter for my 2000 Jimmy 4.3L SLE and was surprised to see quite a difference in the filter. Every previous PF-52 filter I ever bought had a very thick and curved top plate on it where the filter screws on to the oil filter fitting. The newest one I bought has a flate plate that is thinner and looks like a stamped out piece of sheet metal. I had to look at the actual label on the filter twice to make sure someone didn't pull the old switcheroo. But it had an AC-Delco Label on it big as life. Did AC-Delco go cheap on us? WTF?

[laxman21]

Wix for the win.

[old_master]

I heard a while ago that they were changing vendors. There are only a few companies that make oil filters and it's not too difficult to figure out who makes them. Fram, Champion Laboratories, Purolator, Wix, and Hastings. There might be one or two more that slipped my mind. How many holes are in the baseplate and what shape are they? Round, oval, large, (5/16") or small, (3/16")? Does it have an anti drainback valve and if it does, what color is it? What color is the base gasket?

[MagicRat]

I buy PF 59 filters for my caddy and they all look like the OLD ones you describe, including the ones I bought last week.

Did you buy it from a reputable place? There are many counterfeit parts, including filters out there. It just might be a bogus part.

Here is an article on the subject were counterfeit oil filters are specifically mentioned:

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/april2007/mech.htm

Counterfeit Delco (?) oil filter pics

http://www.aftermarketsuppliers.org/...rs%20fake.html

http://www.aftermarketsuppliers.org/...20filters.html

[Rick Norwood]

I bought the filter at AutoZone just I have been doing for over two decades. I always buy the AC-Delco brand PF-52 filter. I might just go to AutoZone and see what is in the box now.

[Rick Norwood]

Originally Posted by old_master

I heard a while ago that they were changing vendors. There are only a few companies that make oil filters and it's not too difficult to figure out who makes them. Fram, Champion Laboratories, Purolator, Wix, and Hastings. There might be one or two more that slipped my mind. How many holes are in the baseplate and what shape are they? Round, oval, large, (5/16") or small, (3/16")? Does it have an anti drainback valve and if it does, what color is it? What color is the base gasket?

O.K. I went to Autozone on a mission to see WTF. Here is what I found. They only had 2 of the PF-52 filters on the shelf. Both of them were what I called the old style with the curved base plate and have 6 round holes. They did not have any of the flat plate style in a PF-52 filter.

They did however have PF-47 in the original old style AND they also had some in the new style. The new style had 8 round 5/16" holes in a flat base plate.


Not sure about the Anti-drain back valve and all of the gaskets on all of the filters were black.

The store clerk says it is simply a new style of filter.

[old_master]

Curved base plate with 6 small round holes is made by Champion Labs.
Flat base plate with 6 large round holes is the "Ecore" filter design also made by Champion Labs.

[MT-2500]

Rick it sounds like you found a shady character in the wood pile.
I have used AC filter on GM cars and trucks for years but.
I would be leary of the new type AC filter.
The klize family has a web page on oil filter study study but it may not be up to date on the new ac filter.

There was some problems on AC filters a year or two ago about some made someplace else.
Also Mopar had some problems with there older type filters being cheap made.
All of that makes Make a person want to switch over to wix oil filters.

Wix makes a very good filter but at a price we may have to pay to get the good one.
Some 6$ a filter or more!!!!
Compared to the 2.50$ for the ac filters for many years.

[MT-2500]

Rick
You might want to grab up what is left of the old style.
Good Luck

[MT-2500]

I spelled it wrong It is Knize family

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters/index.html

http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfi...lterstudy.html

[Rick Norwood]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Rick
You might want to grab up what is left of the old style.
Good Luck

I did! I bought the last two on the shelf.

[Rick Norwood]

Originally Posted by old_master

Curved base plate with 6 small round holes is made by Champion Labs.
Flat base plate with 6 large round holes is the "Ecore" filter design also made by Champion Labs.

The "New Style" that I saw had 8 holes approximately 5/16" in diameter.